Landsat Next: Advancing Earth observation for a changing world

Since the launch of the first Earth Resources Technology Satellite—later renamed Landsat 1—in 1972, the Landsat program has provided the world with the longest continuous record of Earth’s land surfaces and coastal regions. Over five decades, these satellites have captured critical data used by scientists, policymakers, and resource managers to monitor environmental change, manage agriculture, respond to natural disasters, and understand urban growth. As the program moves beyond Landsat 9, you are now entering a new era of land imaging with the initiation of the Landsat Next mission.

Sustainable Land Imaging

Following the successful 2013 launch of Landsat 8 and during the development of Landsat 9, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began planning for the long-term sustainability of the program. Recognizing the need for a strategic approach to future Earth observations, the two agencies formed the Joint Agency Sustainable Land Imaging Architecture Study Team in September 2018. This team was tasked with evaluating user needs and developing a forward-looking acquisition strategy for the post-Landsat 9 era.

The study culminated in a set of recommendations delivered in December 2019, with “Roadmap 1” emerging as the top priority.

Roadmap 1

This vision called for a small constellation of advanced, “superspectral” sensors that would significantly enhance spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution while maintaining rigorous calibration standards. Crucially, Roadmap 1 emphasized continuity—ensuring new data remains compatible with the decades-long archive housed at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center.

Landsat Next

In April 2020, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center received authorization to proceed with Landsat Next, aligned with the Roadmap 1 framework. The mission is designed to meet the core objective of the Landsat program: providing global, synoptic, and repetitive multispectral imagery at a scale capable of detecting and characterizing both natural and human-induced changes over time. This goal supports longstanding U.S. policy under the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992 and the Commercial Space Act of 1998, which mandate the sustained delivery of consistent, high-quality land imaging data.

Landsat Next will build upon the successful collaboration model between NASA and USGS. NASA will lead the development of the space segment, including spacecraft and instruments, and handle launch operations. The USGS will maintain responsibility for the ground system, data processing, archiving, and distribution—ensuring seamless access to data for users worldwide.

With an enhanced observational capacity, Landsat Next aims to deliver more frequent revisits, broader spectral coverage, and improved spatial detail. These advancements will allow you to monitor dynamic environmental processes—such as deforestation, drought, glacier retreat, and land-use change—with greater precision and timeliness than ever before.

As climate change and human activity continue to reshape the planet, the need for reliable, long-term Earth observation has never been greater. Landsat Next represents a critical step forward in sustaining and modernizing the global land imaging program. Through continued innovation and interagency cooperation, the mission will ensure that the legacy of Landsat remains not only preserved but also advanced for future generations of scientists, decision-makers, and stewards of the Earth.

The Landsat Next mission will be a constellation of three identical observatories, referred to as “triplets,” with equal orbit spacing. Each observatory images the full swath required to achieve global coverage, with the use of three observatories to reduce revisit time for any scene.

More Affordable Ways

When you visit NASA’s Landsat Next website, you’re greeted with a message that hints at the project’s evolving priorities: “The Landsat Next project is currently assessing alternate mission architectures to support more affordable ways to maintain the continuity of Landsat imagery per the language in the Fiscal Year 2026 President’s Budget Request. Updates will be forthcoming.”

Airbus issues safety advisory following Brazil helicopter water landing

On Jan. 2, an Airbus H160 helicopter in Brazil was forced to make an emergency water landing after pilots experienced “significant vibrations.”

All eight individuals on board were safely evacuated to life rafts using the helicopter’s emergency flotation system and were later rescued. The incident has prompted a joint safety review by Airbus and global aviation authorities.

According to Brazilian authorities, the pilots initiated the controlled ditching after detecting abnormal vibrations during the flight. The aircraft’s emergency flotation system activated as designed upon contact with water, stabilizing the helicopter and facilitating evacuation. The Brazilian Civil Aviation Investigation and Prevention Center launched an official inquiry, supported by France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes sur les Accidentes.

Preliminary inspections of the recovered aircraft revealed damage to the tail rotor drive line and main rotor system, including a fractured main rotor pitch rod. While the root cause of the failure remains under investigation, Airbus Helicopters announced precautionary measures to mitigate potential risks.

The company issued an Emergency Alert Service Bulletin, mandating the replacement of main rotor pitch rod ends after a specified number of flight hours has been accumulated. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency subsequently published an Emergency Airworthiness Directive aligning with the recommendation.

In a statement, Airbus emphasized its commitment to safety, stating, “Our primary objective is to ensure the continued safe transportation of every person that flies in an Airbus helicopter. This is why we are mandating the replacement of this component while the root cause of the fracture remains under investigation. Airbus Helicopters will be working closely with its customers to support the replacement of the parts.”

Army plans $400 million contract expansion to sell Textron planes to foreign countries

The U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., has announced plans to increase the ceiling of an existing contract with Textron Aviation, Inc. from $99.7 million to approximately $400 million.

The modification is intended to ensure continued support for the Army’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and the Fixed Wing Project Office under Program Executive Office Aviation.

The FMS program allows the U.S. government to sell military equipment, training, and services (such as parts and repairs) to friendly foreign countries through government-to-government deals, acting as a middleman to simplify the purchasing process.

The contract increase is deemed necessary to sustain critical services and deliverables, including original equipment manufacturer kits, aircraft spare parts, program management, training, airworthiness documentation, and both published and unpublished option periods. These services will support a fleet of King Air and Cessna aircraft, including the King Air B200, King Air B300 series, Cessna 208B, and Cessna 408 models.

The Army contract notification outlines upcoming FMS opportunities for several international partners:

• Bangladesh: One King Air 360 ER aircraft
• Jamaica: Two Cessna 408 aircraft
• Latvia, Philippines (four), Cameroon, Guatemala, and Israel: Multiple Cessna 208-B variants
• Philippines: Two additional King Air 360 ER aircraft

Textron Aviation is currently the sole provider capable of delivering the required technical expertise, manufacturing capability, and proprietary data essential for maintaining these aircraft platforms.

A prior Justification and Approval document, issued on June 8, 2022, for other than full and open competition, confirmed Textron’s unique qualifications.

Avelo Airlines is closing three bases and retiring Boeing aircraft

Avelo Airlines, the low-cost carrier that entered the U.S. market in 2021, disclosed a significant recapitalization effort on Tuesday. The aim is to fund the airline’s long-term strategic plan.

The capital raise effort paves the way for a focused network realignment. Avelo will consolidate operations around four existing bases—New Haven (HVN), Philadelphia/Delaware Valley (ILG), Charlotte/Concord (USA) and Central Florida/Lakeland (LAL)—and will add a fifth hub in Dallas/McKinney, Texas (TKI) slated to open in late 2026.

To align the network with the new strategic direction, Avelo will discontinue three of its current bases: Mesa, Arizona (AZA); Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU); and Wilmington, North Carolina (ILM).

The airline will continue serving Raleigh-Durham from New Haven and Rochester, New York (ROC), while Wilmington will remain on the schedule from Nashville (BNA), New Haven, Tampa (TPA), and Washington, D.C./Baltimore (BWI). Affected passengers will receive direct communications from the airline via email and text.

The airline’s aircraft fleet will also be streamlined. Six Boeing 737‑700 Next‑Generation aircraft will be retired, leaving the carrier's operating fleet primarily composed of the more fuel-efficient Boeing 737‑800 NG.

“These changes enable Avelo to focus on sustainably scaling five core bases in 2026 and to prepare the company for growth in the coming years, facilitated by the company's recent order for up to 100 Embraer 195-E2 aircraft,” the company said in a press release.

PENN Entertainment eliminates executive positions under new corporate structure

Wyomissing-based casino gaming company PENN Entertainment, Inc. announced Monday a strategic overhaul of its corporate structure, aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and prioritizing digital expansion in key markets. The changes, which take effect immediately, involve the elimination of two executive positions and a realignment of leadership roles to better align with the company’s focus on digital assets in Canada and its Hollywood iCasino platform in the U.S.

Jay Snowden, PENN’s CEO and president, stated in a press release that the restructuring is designed to “deepen customer engagement across channels, maximize free cash flow, and drive shareholder value.”

Executives Out

Among the most notable changes, Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations, and Rich Primus, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO), will be departing the company.

George, who has spent over 13 years at PENN in roles spanning regional operations and general management, recently oversaw the openings of Hollywood Casino Joliet and the M Resort Spa Casino’s second hotel tower.

Primus, who served as CIO for more than a decade, will also leave the organization.

New Marching Order

Under the new structure, PENN’s Senior Vice Presidents of Regional Operations—Rafael Verde, Aaron Rosenthal, and Justin Carter—will retain oversight of retail operations, with revised reporting lines.

Verde and Rosenthal will now report directly to Snowden, while Carter will report to Verde.

Jennifer Weissman, Chief Marketing Officer, will also report to Snowden and collaborate closely with Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive, to strengthen PENN’s omnichannel strategy.

LaBerge’s responsibilities have expanded to include enterprise IT functions, consolidating retail, digital, data, cloud, and security operations under a unified leadership framework. This restructuring aims to reduce redundancies and improve capital efficiency.

PENN has also initiated a search for a digital Chief Operating Officer to manage day-to-day Interactive segment operations, allowing LaBerge to focus on technology integration.

The company’s Board of Directors has endorsed the changes, which are part of a broader evaluation of operational efficiencies. PENN will provide further updates on its progress when it releases fourth-quarter 2025 financial results in February.

Maritime Launch Services names Melissa Quinn Vice President, Spaceport Operations

Maritime Launch Services Inc., the Canadian-owned firm developing the nation’s first commercial orbital launch complex, announced the appointment of Melissa Quinn as Vice President, Spaceport Operations. Quinn will assume responsibility for building out the operational team at Spaceport Nova Scotia and steering the site from its development phase to full launch readiness.

Quinn joins Maritime Launch from strategic partner MDA Space, where she accumulated more than a decade of experience in international spaceport management and commercial launch programs. Previously, she served as the Head of Spaceport Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Under her leadership, Cornwall secured the United Kingdom’s first spaceport license and delivered the facilities needed for the country’s inaugural licensed orbital launch attempt. Her work there involved extensive coordination with regulators, comprehensive sustainability planning, and sustained community outreach.

Based in Nova Scotia, Quinn will work closely with provincial and federal regulators, indigenous groups, and the surrounding communities to ensure that the spaceport’s development aligns with environmental standards and local interests. The facility is being designed as a dual-use launch site, capable of supporting both commercial satellite operators and government payloads, including defense and scientific missions.